American Latinos invade Hollywood. 'Bout time.

LA HOODRAT Chapter 6: Chasing Beans

A fly lands on a leaf, rubs its wings furiously as if expecting a delicious meal. It buzzes in anticipation, alert to an internal dinner bell, zooms through the air, and lands…SNAP!…

Inside the mouth of an alligator. The alligator shows off his crooked grin…and the comatosed fly stuck in its front teeth.

**

Inside Novus’ kitchen…

Eida and Novus face off at the kitchen table. Socorro sits nearby, deadly purse at the ready.

NOVUS: No.

EIDA: Is that the only word you know? (stabs forehead) Think outside the coconut.

NOVUS: Huh?

Socorro stabs her forehead, too.

Eida shuffles paperwork…

I’ve reviewed your financial-ability.

NOVUS: My what?

EIDA: You’re drowning in the quicksand of debt.

NOVUS: What’s with all the metaphors?

EIDA: You probably owe money to the metaphors, too.

SOCORRO: Jess.

Grunt.

EIDA: Somebody’s gotta look after your Mom while you’re at work. Socorro will be her caregiver.

SOCORRO: Jess.

EIDA: We won’t charge Socorro and her three kids rent–

NOVUS: Rent? What? She’s not moving in.

EIDA: Tell your Mom the HMO sent her–home health care is covered under the health insurance.

NOVUS: It is?

Eida flips through a notebook…

EIDA: You’re in the hole for over sixteen thousand dollars–and that doesn’t include penalties, late fees and all that other piled on crap. Every month that goes by, you’re in the quicksand for another nine hundred bucks. Lucky for you…